No Verdict Yet In Bill Cosby’s Trial, Jurors To Return On Friday

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NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CNN) — The jury in Bill Cosby’s trial failed to reach a verdict after a fourth day of deliberations and will resume its work on Friday (June 16) at 9 a.m.

Earlier Thursday (June 15), jurors said they were deadlocked and could not come to a unanimous consensus on any of the three counts of aggravated indecent assault the comedian faces.

“If you are still deadlocked, you should report that to me. If you’ve reached a unanimous decision on some of the charges, please report that back to me,” Judge Steven O’Neill said.

O’Neill then asked the jury, which began deliberating Monday (June 12) evening, to go back for another attempt to reach a verdict. After O’Neill’s direction, jurors worked into the evening. They have deliberated for about 40 hours in all.

There is no limit to how many times a judge can issue the Spencer Charge, which is a set of instructions that asks jurors to re-examine their own views and opinions, according to Jim Koval, the director of communications for the Pennsylvania Courts. The charge is known as the Allen Charge in other states.

If, after further deliberations, they still cannot reach consensus, a hung jury will cause the judge to declare a mistrial.

The jury is made up of four white women, six white men, one black woman and one black man. They were bused to Norristown, Pennsylvania, from Allegheny County near Pittsburgh and have been sequestered in a hotel for the trial.

Prosecutors say Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted Andrea Constand, the former director of operations for Temple University’s women’s basketball team, at his home near Philadelphia in January 2004. Cosby, 79, pleaded not guilty to the charges.